Reconnecting with StaplesPeters is familiar with the Staples library. She worked as a Branch Assistant at Staples when she joined Great River Regional Library (GRRL) in 2004. She has been Branch Manager at Eagle Bend since 2007. Now, with the management opening at Staples caused by the retirement of long-serving Branch Manager Viretta Neidhardt, Peters will manage Staples as well.

“I’m looking forward to reconnecting with Staples,” Peters said. “The construction of a new library shows that they value library services and I’m glad to have the opportunity to be a part of that. The new library will be a terrific asset to the community.”

Joint Management Having a Branch Manager be responsible for more than one branch library is the second similar pilot project for GRRL. It is currently piloting joint management of its Annandale and Kimball branches. The GRRL Board of Trustees approved joint management of Eagle Bend and Staples at its Sept. 8 meeting.

“We are looking at new ways of managing our libraries to ensure we are able to provide the best service we possibly can,” said Janie LaBree, GRRL Regional Supervisor in charge of both Staples and Eagle Bend. “We’re examining alternative staffing arrangements with the goal of ensuring that tasks are handled at the appropriate staffing levels. We want the right staff in place to take care of all the tasks a library requires. The goal is to get items into the hands of library users as soon as we possibly can.”

“The new library is going to have more convenient access,” Peters said, “and the streamlined staffing will provide additional advantages.”

Staffing continuity will be provided by Tammi Walz, who has served as the interim Branch Manager and will resume her duties as Branch Assistant.

A branch reorganization committee within GRRL will monitor the project and make any staff adjustments necessary as it continues. The committee will use data gathered from the project to help determine future staffing arrangements within the library system. Depending on the committee’s proposals, the pilot projects could be concluded, become permanent, or be merged into something different, said library administrators.